Improvement in boiler-feeders



UNER

. STATES VILLIAM BOVVMAN, OF GREENOOK, SCOTLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOILER-FEEDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent NO. 541,075. dated April 1T, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BOWMAN, of Greenock, Scotland, have invented a Self-Acting lnductor for Feeding Steam-Boilers with Water; and I do hereby declare the following is a full and exact description thereof', refer- `ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a steam-boiler with a self-acting inductor, by which the water in the boiler is always maintained at its proper level without any assistance from the engineer. The supply-water in the heater is placed on a higher level than my inductor, and passes by its gravity through the inductor to the boiler, the quantity admitted being` regulated by the inductor itself.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I. will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure l is a section showing the interior of v my inductor. Fig. 2 is a plan with the top oli'. Fig. 3 is a section through the exhaustvalve. Fig. 4 is a section through the steaminduction valve.

Similar letters in each figure refer to the same parts. t

A is the outside case of the inductor, having a lid A A screwed in at each end. B is a cheek-valve, through which the Water from the heater enters the inductor. B" is another check-valve, through which the water passes to the boiler by a connecting-pipe.

O is an exhaust-valve fastened to the casing A by ascrew and nut. (See Fig. 3.) This valve has a valve, O', fitting on a seat, O2. The valve C' is connected with a rack, G4, by means of the rod C3.

Alever, E, works on a pin, E. This leverl has a segment of a cog-wheel cut in it at E2 working into the rack O4. The bracket F carries a pendulous arm, F', suspended to it. The arm E has a recess out in it at E2 and a lug cast-on at E4.

The steam-induction valve D, Fig. 4, is fastened to the case A in the same manner as valve O. The valve D, Fig. 4, bears upon a seat, D2. It is also screwed at one end into a circular casting having a rack on it, D4. A jam-nut serves to set each of the valves C and D fast. A lever, G, vibrates on the centerpin G. This lever has a segment of a cog- \.vheel working in the rack D4. This lever G is recessed at G3, Fig. 2, and has a lug cast on at G4 and another at G5. An arm, H, is fixed to valve D and vibrates on a pivot at H.

l isan air-tight vfloat screwed to the rod J. K is another air-tight float suspended by K to the lever E and Working the exhaust-valve O. The rod J passes through the lloat K and embraces the lever G, workin g the inductionvalve D. A pin, m, attached to the head A, acts as a guide to the lower lloat. Another pin, n, fixed to head A', acts as a guide to the upper rod, J.

The action of my inductor is as follows: It is placed on a level above the water-line of the boiler and the valve D connected to a pipe which enters the boiler at the desired point for the water-level. The check-valve B is also connected by a pipe to the boiler below the waterlevel. The inductor being em pty and the levers E and G in position, (shown in Fig. 1,) the eX- haust-valve O will be open and the valve D closed. The feed-water will force its Way into the case A, raisin g thelower oat, I, and causing the rodJ to bear upward against the lever G. This lever is prevented from rising by the end of it being caught against the arm F. As soon as the water rises in the inductor sufficiently to raise the float K the rod K elevates the lever E, closing the exhaust-valve C. The raising of this lever also liberates the arm F from the end of the lever G, which said lever G is immediately lifted by the float I, and the steam-valve D opened. The pressure of steam in the inductor being now equal to that in the boiler, the water will ilow from the inductor to the boiler. The end of lever E is held up by the catch H2 until the water has left the inductor and entered the boiler. The iloat I then descends, bringing with it the lever G, and the lug G5 presses against the arm H, liberating the arm E from catch H2. It immediately falls and opens the exhaust-valve C. The valve D is closed by the falling of the lever G. The inductor is now ready to commence the same action over again.

The lugs E1 and G4 operate lupon theopposite levers and make it more certain that the valves C and D are secure in their proper positions.

Should water enter the valve D instead of 2. The combination and arrangement of the oats K and I, operating the valves C and D by means of the levers G and E, substantially as described.

3. An inductor in which the upper float, K, rising opens the induction steam-valve and closes the exhaust-valve, and the falling of the bottom float., I, reverses the movement, substantially as herein set forth.

` WILLIAM BOWMAN.

Witnesses EDWARD BROWN, J AMES H. ToMBs. 

